New Kampa Air 350

[Sproket]

Have been wondering about a blow up doll hmm !! ..... Awning for quite a while now but the Kampa 260 is too small & the 390 would end up going across a window....
But from what I have just found they are now doing a 350 wide awning ....

Could this be the end of the divorce in a bag type of awnings....

I liike the idea that a annex can be fitted to make it larger for when away longer than a long week end...

Did anyone see them at the NEC in October ??
Wonder if they will be @ the Manchester show in January

 

[woodsieboy]

Hi Sproket

Looks like there is a 330 for 2014 on you tube.We looked at them at NEC in October,liked the idea but I have always struggled with the idea of the guy ropes that anchor these types of awning.

 

[Martin24]

I have been in a kampa Air that some field neighbours had in derbyshire. They were very pleased with it. The main problem I had was getting into it because of having to step over the skirt to get in the door. I don't think well ever get rid of the isabella magnum we've got now, it's fantastic!

 

[brian_c]

Hi Sproket!
i have the Kampa Air 260. And posted a while ago how satisfied I was with it. After having to exchange the first one supplied because of damage.
the main reason for getting the awning was I could easily put it up on my own. I occasionally have a few days where I go off and take the fishing tackle.
I have now used it three times and am still delighted with it.
Well by means of telling you my experience so far, and by no means a criticism of the awning I have found out the following.

• The awning is easy like I said to erect however because the canvas has the additional weight of the built in air poles then I found that threading it around the channel was slightly heavier than my old Dorema. I'm certainly not finding this an hardship but whilst working alone the first time I had to stop and readjust the mass of canvas still on the floor and the awning slid back down the rail. The solution which should have been obvious to me at the time was to have the awning neatly placed so it would smoothly enter the awning rail and keep going as I threaded. I know this can happen with any awning but trying to hold what was already threaded whilst adjusting the remainder on the ground wasn't easy. Mine is the small 260 so with the larger / heavier model perhaps this could be more an issue if erecting solo!
• Another point is that unlike traditional awnings the Air pole are not adjustable in length so a slight issue I had was on a sloping pitch. I levelled the van using a ramp under one wheel. But the ground sloped upwards away from the van. So once the frame was inflated the awning didn't fit as neatly to the walls of the van. Again this was no real problem but did leave more gap than I would have liked. With a traditional awning I would have just lowered the front poles slightly. On this occasion I didn't use the optional back poles that I had purchased. In fact by way of a moan I do think they could have thrown these in with the original price.

I am still more than happy with this awning and very pleased I bought it. Also time will tell, but looking how well the air poles are protected I think that only abuse or extreme carelessness could cause them to become punctured. Good luck with what you decide to do.
regards Brian

 

[Sproket]

Hi Brian
One of the things that concerned me was the step into the awning, but that has been removed on the 2014 models of the 260, 330, 390 & the 350 that i am interested in as you can see below.
I also notice that they qoute different weight materials for each type of awning...
Here is some of the blurb .....
The ALL NEW 2014 Kampa Fiesta Air 350 Inflatable Caravan Awning Review:
Building on the very successful Kampa Fiesta awning, a much missed awning popular with touring caravan owners, Kampa have produced the stunning new Kampa Fiesta Air 350.
The Fiesta Air 350 can be set up and inflated from a single inflation point as all the internal airframe 'poles' are interconnected with Kampa's unique valve system. This enable any airframe 'pole' to be isolated from its neighbour making for easy inflation and simple replacement.
The Fiesta Air 350 also uses Kampa's new adjustable height system to ensure the awning is pitched perfectly on almost any site.

This is the new 330 is also now with out the step.

This is the new 260 with out the step into the awning.

I suppose they removed the step so that the rear leg would be able to be adjusted easier on uneven ground ?

 

[Sproket]

Hi Sproket

Looks like there is a 330 for 2014 on you tube.We looked at them at NEC in October,liked the idea but I have always struggled with the idea of the guy ropes that anchor these types of awning.

Cheers,
Found the 330 & the review.

 

[brian_c]

Thanks for posting that Sproket. I can see how Just simply removing the step would give just enough adjustment to aid pitching on sloping ground. I hadn't seen the 330 that looks stunning and has addressed the level ground issue also. Obviously I'm on the mk1 version and Kampa have taken note of comments they must have received, and evolved their designs to suit. I'm still more than happy with the one I have. I will seek one of the mk 2 on display somewhere and study the differences apart from the door skirt it looks the same at the moment. I may be tempted to get the Scissors out some time in the future if the level ground issue keeps coming up. Although I'm talking out of the top of my head with that comment without studying the new design. Obviously once the Zips were closed I would be back to square one anyway. Just have to find nice level sites.
cheers for now regards Brian

 

[SirRogerFFS]

Going into the second season with our Kampa 390 Air the only downfall that we found was your van must as close to level as possible then it pegs out beautiful and looks really great. We have got used to the step into the awning so doesnt bother us any more.All in all a brilliant awning ,

 

[Sproket]

Well we got into the NEC for 10.00am & went strait round to the Kampa stand, had a quick look at the 350 but strait away decided against it, had a good look at the 330 Pro Air & decided that was the one we wanted, by 10.15am one was on order & we hope to have it delivered for the second week in May, The Kampa gent said that last year they had 2500 units & they all sold very quickly & this year they have sold even more in this short time frame from January....

 

[Mel]

What was it about the Pro air that made it the superior awning?
mel

 

[Sproket]

It was the thicker & hopefully stronger material that it is made of .... Rally Pro Air’s heavier quality 300D Oxford polyester material .... rather than the standard lightweight material that swung it & the size 260 was too small 390 would end up half way over a window our old one is 350 the new one is 330 ....

 

[BernardinTring]

I too was very taken at the NEC with the Kampa Air and wish I had been brave enough to go for it. Waiting until May seems an awfully long time! It is the appeal of the quick build that appeals as we get older.
One question to users is we have an Isabella Magnum absolutely brilliant and not only looks good but we never have any of those tiny insects which we seem to attract in the roof area of the present light weight we use for early and late breaks.
Does the Kampa suffer from this 'attraction'?
Bernard

 

[Brobin]

Hi, can anyone tell me what the 'adjustable height system' is on the Kampa air awnings and how it works?

Also is it on the Fiesta air as I have seen it mentioned on Some web sites but not others?

 

[SirRogerFFS]

Brobin.If you read back some of the posts you will see there is no real height adjustment to the Kampa.The tip really is when you get on site to get your van as level as possible and the Awning will peg out nicely. I always level up when we arrive on site as her indoors finds the if the van is not level when it comes to bed time she wont sleep if the van is not level.As for the step that has been mentioned on entry to the Awning It has now gone so makes life easier.We dont notice now but dog has not got use to and ploughs straight through it
Well I. hope this helps you in some way. Enjoy your Caravanning

 

[Brobin]

thanks for the reply. According to the Kampa blerb in their "2014 awnings New and revised models" There is new for 2014 an adjustable height system but I can not find any details of how it works?

 

[Sproket]

I am still waiting delivery of a 330 Kampa Pro Air and it has supposed to have some sort of height adjustment ( that looks to be on the rear legs ) :dry: to help it seal better against the van, when I spoke to the supplying dealer earlier on today they were expecting them either today or tomorrow, but I a'int holding my breath on that one :S as it was ordered at the NEC I am led to believe that those customers have priority, so unfortunately until I get mine & see how it all works I'm as wise as Sir Roger :huh:

 

[Brobin]

Hi, hope it arrives soon as It looks like the only way I am going to find out!

 

[Brobin]

ok I am now the proud owner of a Kampa fiesta Air 350,

I bought it for 3 reasons:

1 I wanted as big a pourch awning as I could to fit my Bailey Ranger - A 390 is too big as it would go across a window and so 350 is the next size down

2. It is impossible to find anyone with a Rally or Rally Pro air in stock

3. The really nice people at Chichester Caravans Winchester branch gave me a part exchange on my old awning

I am hoping to have a go at putting it up at the weekend and so I will let you know how I get on and with luck how the height adjustment works (if indeed it has any?)

 

[Sproket]

Hi Brobin

We looked at those & liked the idea that you could fit a annex onto it, but we ended up choosing the 330 Pro air, & we had the call today that it is being sent out overnight for delivery tomorrow....

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

 

[Brobin]

Great, in that case we can compare notes!

 

[Brobin]

I know for certain that the Rally Pro has the adjustable height system so I am interested to know how it works?

 

[Sproket]

Unfortunately due to work commitments this week end, I think it will be some time next week at the earliest before it gets tried
Good luck with trying your new 350 out, can you take some photos of what it's like and then post them on here ??

 

[Brobin]

Of course!

 

[Brobin]

Well that did not go quite as I expected!

A couple of teething problems with the new awning

1. The bag it came in has not been stitched propetely and so has a large hole in it

2. The instructions bear no resemblance to the real life awning

I stumbled at almost the very first point as after threading the awning into the rail the instructions say to peg the rear corner straps just underneath the caravan. Problem is there are no rear straps and it is not clear from the photo what they actually mean!

As a result I could not figure out how to get the bumper pads to seal against the caravan - Again the picture in the instructions was definatley not the same as my awning and so was no use at all.

Also if there is a height adjustment system I can't find it?

I did take some pictures - how do I post them?

 

[Sproket]

Oh dear hmy:

Have a read of these instructions on how to post photos

Mine has arrived and hopefully with a bit of luck I will try putting it up next weekend...